Critical Links’ edgeBOX™ IT/Communications Platform Enables Schools and Public
Buildings to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy Consumption

FAIRFIELD, NJ, USA, September 3rd 2009th, 2009 - Critical Links, a global provider of unified voice, data and IT solutions today announced that the edgeBOX platform can enable schools, public buildings, hospitals and non-profit organizations to qualify for energy efficient project grants. One example is the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) grants, where edgeBOX qualifies due to the high energy efficiency of its solution compared to alternatives in the market. The edgeBOX can replace between 4 to 8 different pieces of IT/Networking hardware on your premises bringing a unified, energy-saving IT/Communications solution that is comprehensive in its scope.

Key Facts About the edgeBOX™:

• The edgeBOX green solution brings both CAPEX and OPEX savings to the order of 70 - 80% depending on your current infrastructure.
• By replacing your Router, Firewall, WiFi device, PBX, VPN Device and Storage and Print Servers with a single edgeBOX, you realize huge savings on recurring energy consumption (typically over 70%) and cooling costs (Air Conditioning).
• edgeBOX’s significantly reduced power and space consumption leads to a much smaller carbon footprint.
• edgeBOX architecture is purpose-built from the ground up to reduce emissions and save energy and to meet stringent EU environmental standards. It is estimated that IT contributes to around 2% of global emissions. edgeBOX reduces CO2 emissions and consequent pollution significantly.
• Reduced waste means there is less energy required for recycling and residual waste management at end of life.
• Compliance with stringent EU environmental standards such as RoHS** means toxic and hazardous substances such as Lead are not used in manufacturing and not released into the environment.
• By enabling workers to be able to work remotely – and having all the IT and Telecom services as if they were at the headquarters in person, the edgeBOX helps maintain high productivity and avoid the need to travel, thereby leading to less carbon fuel consumption and pollution.
• edgeBOX™ also reduces plastic and Styrofoam packaging as well as plastic covered wiring generated by multiple appliances, reducing landfill waste.

** RoHS or Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive adopted by the European Union from 2006 restricts the use of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated biphenyls and diphenyl ether in electronic manufacturing.

In March 2009, edgeBOX was selected by the Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the 8 gadgets to green your office. edgeBOX has also been nominated as a finalist for the TechWorld green product of the year award in 2008.

The Critical Links’ edgeBOX™ product is a multi-service business gateway appliance that provides a fully-fledged VOIP/ IP-PBX and a host of data and IT services such as routing, security, Wireless LAN, NAC, web/email/print server and storage into a single device, while dramatically reducing complexity and deployment costs. It replaces between four to eight specialized products with a single integrated platform that is simple to install and configure, easy to maintain and upgrade and can be managed remotely. It is available on a range of scalable platforms that optimally support from fewer than 10 users up to 300 users.

More details on the edgeBOX™ are available by contacting Critical Links at sales@critical-links.com or through the Critical Links website at http://www.critical-links.com.

About Critical Links
Critical Links is a global provider of converged voice, data and IT solutions for small and medium businesses (SMBs) that dramatically simplify and cost-reduce by consolidating over a single scalable and fault-tolerant platform.

Critical Links’ flagship product, the edgeBOX™, is an award-winning multi-function gateway appliance that includes VoIP/IP-PBX, VPNs, security, NAC, QoS and a WiFi access point as well as a fax server, web server, e-mail server, print server and data storage. It is available on a range of hardware platforms that support up to 300 users, with different form factors and a host of broadband interfaces such as BRI/PRI(T1/E1), FX0/FXS, Ethernet, etc. Critical Links typically serves SMBs through a global network of VARs, System Integrators, OEMs and Service Providers. For more information: www.critical-links.com or info@critical-links.com.

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